Altria's Philip Morris Unit
To Settle Lawsuit by Child

By

Christina Cheddar Berk Dow Jones Newswires

Updated Oct. 2, 2003 7:48 p.m. ET

NEW YORK -- Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA unit agreed to pay $2 million to settle a lawsuit brought by a child who suffered disfiguring burns in a fire allegedly caused by a smoldering cigarette.

The settlement, reached secretly in May, departs from the tobacco company's longstanding practice of refusing to settle personal-injury claims. That could encourage additional litigation.